Electrical connecter



June 1, 1937. H. c. KISSEL 2,032,453

' ELECTRICAL CQNNECTER Filed Dec. '7, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H- E- Kfs 5El- June 1, 1937-.

' H. c. KISSEL;

I ELECTRICAL CONNECTER Filed mm. 7,. 1954 2 "Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedJune 1, 1937 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE -This'invention appertains toelectrical connecters, and more particularly to a novel outlet socket.or receptacle, and plug therefor.

With the use of the customary pronged plug;

considerable diillculty is experienced in properly alining the prongswith the socket recesses for making the desired connection. This isparticularly true in the night time or where the socket is located inthe baseboard at an inconvenient point (such as behind articles offurniture).

Therefore, one of the salient objects of my invention is to provide anoutlet socket and plug which can be quickly and conveniently coupledtogether and make the desired connection without necessitating thecareful alining of conductor prongs and recesses.

Another object of my inventionis the provision of an outlet socket, orreceptacle, having an enlarged opening and av wide flaring mouth, or'

entrance throat, leading to said opening, and a plug having a taperedinner endfor fitting in said opening and guided therein by the throat,

having novel contacts for engagement with novelly arranged contacts inthe socket.

Another important object of my invention is the provision of an outletsocket, or receptacle, having an enlarged opening with bayonet slotsformed in the side walls thereof, and a plug for fitting in the openinghaving lugs for reception.

in the bayonet slots, .the lugs forming contacts for engagement withconductor members diss.

posed in the slots 'for forming one connection, the other connectionbeing made/by centrally located contacts carried respectively by theplug and socket,.the provision of the bayonet slots,

and lugs preventing the accidental pulling apart of the plug and socket.

A further object of my invention is to provide I novel means forarranging the contacts in the socket, or receptacle, whereby theaccidental receiving of shocks is prevented, even though a person shouldinadvertently insert his finger in the opening of the socket. v

Afurther object of my invention is to provide novel means for formingthe plug itself,

whereby a convenient grip can be obtained there-- on for facilitatingthe insertion and removal thereof from the socket.

A further object of my invention is the provision of novel means forleading the cord into the plug and for connecting the conductor wiresthereof to the contacts carried by the plug.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a quick couplingplug and socket of the upon the market at a reasonable cost.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, arrangement andformation of parts, as 'will behereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which drawingsz- Figure 1 is a longitudinalsection through my improved plug and socket, showing the same connectedtogether, the socket being of the lamp base type. j

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the improved p us.

Figure 3- is a central vertical section through the improved socket, theview being taken at right angles to Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the base of the plug,looking at right angles from Figure 2 and illustrating the formation ofthe connecter lugs carried thereby.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of my novel socket, showing a part of theplug indotted lines.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of a-socket of the flush baseboard typeembodying my improvements.

Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of the socket shown in Figure 6. v

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar referencecharacters designate correspending parts throughout the several views,the letter 8 generally indicates my improved socket, and the letter Pthe novel plug used in connection therewith.

The socket 8 comprises a' porcelain or other insulating body l0 havingan axially disposed 4o cavity, or opening II. This cavity, or opening.

ll terminates short of the inner end of the socket and opens out throughthe outer endcf the socket. If preferred, the socket can be surroundedat its outer end by an annular flange It for facilitatingthe gripping ofthe socket by the operator. Embedded in the inner wall of the body in atthe axial center thereof is the central contact ll, and it is to benoted that this contact is exposed both interiorly and exteriorly of thesocket.

In. accordance with my invention, the outer end of the opening Ii isbeveled. or curved, to provide the wide flaring entrance mouth, orthroat, it, which facilitates thelguiding of the N undue effort onsitely extending arcuate grooves l1. Either one or both of the arcuategrooves l1 can be provided'with Ushaped conductor strips i3, and

these strips are preferably tapered and inclined I toward one end,- fora purpose which will be laterset forth. It will be noted that the innerfaces of the conductor strips are covered by insulation to preventshocks from being inadvertently received.

As the socket S is of the lamp base type, the outer face thereof hasrigidly secured thereto the threaded metallic conductor shell IS. A dropof solder or the like 20 is employed for electrically. and rigidlyconnecting the shell with the U-shaped conductor strip l8.

- From the description so far, it can be seen that the socket isprovided with'a centrally disposed conductor, or button, l3 and a sideconductor IS.

The improved plug P is also formed from porcelain or other insulatingmaterial, and includes a main body 2i having formed thereon theforwardly extending, axially disposed'plug projection proper 22. Thediameter of the plug projection 22 is the same as, or slightly less thanthe interior diameter of the socket S, and the plug projection isadapted to flt within the opening ll.

As is clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the insertion of'theplug projection in the opening is considerably facilitated byv theflaring guide mouth l4. If desired, the plug P at the juncture of thebody 2i and the plug projection 22 can be shaped, as at 23, to fit insaid flaring mouth when the plug and socket are coupled, so as tocompletely close the opening.

Extending diametrically through the plug projection 22 at a pointintermediate its ends is a conductor rod 24. Theterminals of theconductor rod. 24 are extended a material distance beyond the oppositesides of the plug projection, so as to form connecter lugs 25.

By referring to Figure 4 of the drawings, it

will be noted that theinner, or rear, face of the lugs are beveled, as'at 26, so as to form a substantially wedge-shaped structure forreception in the tapered arcuate ways i1 formed in the socket.

Molded in the bottom. of the plug P are conductor strips 21 and23. Theforward end of the conductor strip 21 is electrically connected with theconductor rod 24, as is clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. Theforward end of the conductor strip 23 is extended exterlorly of the plugprojection'22 at its axial center, as indicated by the referencecharacter 23, for engagement with the central contact, or button, l3.

The inner ends of the conductor strips Hand 23 are extended laterally toprovide attaching feet 33 and 3i respectively, and the plug body isformed with openings 32 to permit access to be had to said feet. Bindingscrews 33 are threaded through the feet and auto the plug body to permitthe attaching of conductor wires .70

The inner end of the plug .body is formed with a transversely extendinghand grip 34 which can have its opposite sides corrugated or otherwisetreated, as at 35, to facilitate the gripp thereof. This hand grip 34 isprovided with a cenaosaiss tral bore 33, through which is adapted tobeinserted the electric cord (not shown) leadin from an electric iron orother electrical appliance. This central bore 33 has communicatingtherewith diverging bores 31 which open out through,

In use of my novel plug and socket, the plug P is gripped by the handle34, and the plug proiection 22 is inserted in the socket. The plugprojection will be guided in place by the flaring mouth, and the.terminals of the conductor rod 24 will strike this mouth and the plugcan be rotated until the terminals of the conductor rod ride into thelongitudinal grooves IS of the bayonet slots.

The plug isnow pushed all the wavinto the socket and is again turned, soas to move the connecter lugs, or terminals, of the conductor rod 24into the arcuate ways I! of the bayonet slots. Obviously, the conductorstrip 23 electrically contacts with the button l3, and the conductorstrip 20 through the medium of the conductor rod 24 electricallyconnects with the shell l3 through the conductor strip I3 andthe solder23.

Due to the inclined shape of the. ways and the U-shaped conductor stripsi3, and the beveled faces of the lugs 23, a wedging action will be had,which will effectively couple the plug and socket together. This wedgingaction or inclined plane principle will take up any play caused by wear,and will always keep the contacts tight and prevent sparking andheating. This type of coupling positively prevents the accidentaluncoupling of the plug and socket.

Obviously, the plug can be quickly and easily removed by grasping thehandle 34 and rotating the same in a reverse direction until theterminals of the conductor rod again aline with the longitudinal groovesl3 of the bayonet slots, at which time the outward pull on the plug willuncouple the plug from the socket.

In Figures 6, '7, and 8, I have illustrated a flush type of receptacle,or socket, and, as shown,

or guide throat, 43. The side walls of the opening are provided with thebayonet slots 44, and anchored in one or both of the curved portions ofthe slots is the U-shaped conductor 45.

Attached to the inner face of the body is a conductor plate 43 which isadapted to be engaged by the central contact of the plug. As shown, a.binding screw 41 is carried by the plate 43 to per-, mit one of thehouse line wires to be connected therewith. vl'isimilar binding screw 43is provided for the other house line wire, and this screw is carrled bythe conductor strip 43, which. can

be molded in the socket, and which is'electrically connected'with ushaped conductor strip". 76

pvent the contacting of the line wires when the same are secured to thebinding screws.

This socket is very similar to the socket shown in Figures 1, 3, and 5,and the plug? is inserted therein in the same manner.

With my type of plug and socket, no shock can be received by insertingreceptacle, or socket, even when standing on a peri'ect ground, due tothe fact that the neutral wire goes to the central terminal, and livewire to the contact in the arcuate way ill, and the iace of this contactis covered by insulating material.

Obviously, the principles of my invention apply to all types ofreceptacles, or sockets, with which the plug can be used, and thesockets, or receptacles, can be made in multiple without departingfronrthe invention.

Particular attention is invited to the fact that there are no movingparts in either the plug or socket with the exception of the terminalscrews; and that the connection between the plug and the socket, orreceptacle, is not dependent upon springs and the like. a

The entire assembly of both the plug and socket, or receptacle, are ofone piece molded, and are not various stampings pressed together andinserted in insulated cores,

Stress is again laid on the novel means employed for uniting the socket,or receptacle, and the plug together. The pitch of the inclined ways iiand the tapered terminals of the conductor bar 26 form, substantially,a, screw thread connection which holds the parts tight and takes upanyplay due to wear and the like. as the plug is inserted and turned,the same is fed inwardly, insuring proper contact between the axialconductors i8 and 29.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided anexceptionally simple and a finger or tool in the Obviously,

durable form of plug and socket, which will per- I mit the convenientand quick coupling of these members together. x v

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or thescopeof my invention, but what I claim as new is:

1. In a separable electrical connectcr, a socket. or receptacle,including a body of insulation having a central opening therein,- acentral contact for the body,the.opposite sides of the wall of theopening being provided with bayonet slots, a threaded metallic shellfitted on the outer face of the body, a lirshaped conductor stripembedded in one of the bayonet slots and having electrical connectionwith the shell, a plug for movement into and out of the opening at thewill of the operator, an axially disposed contact on the plug forengagement with the axial contact of the body, and a conductor barextending diametrically through the plug having its terminals protrudingbeyond the plug'for detachable reception in the bayonet slots and inelectrical engagement with the U-shaped conductor strip.

2. In an electrical connector, a socket, 'or receptacle, including abody of insulation having a central opening therein, an axial contactfor the body, the opposite sides of the wall of the opening beingprovided with bayonet slots, a threaded metallic shell fitted on theouter face ofthe body, a U-shaped conductor strip embedded in one of thebayonet slots and having electrical connection with the shell, a plugfor movement into'the opening, an axially disposed contact on the plugfor engagement with the axial contact of the body, and a conductor barextending diametrically through the plug having its terminals protrudingbeyond the plug for reception in the bayonet slots and in electricaleneasement with the U-shaped conductor strip, the U-shaped conductorstrip and the terminals of the conductor bar being of a wedge shape.

' HOWARD C. 15c: 88%.

